This invention relates to a machine for drying pasta or the like food products.
It is known that pasta is dried, for long-term preservation, to a moisture content as low as 12% to 13%.
On completion of the processing cycle, prior to drying, pasta with a high moisture content (15-35%) behaves like a plastic material within which capillarly grids form which spread moisture throughout the product, enabling it to migrate from the middle toward the periphery as the outer surface is being subjected to evaporation.
For a smooth drying process, it is mandatory that such capillaries be left open, and the product quality rating requires that associated volume shrinkage upon drying creates no stresses within the product.
These stresses, in fact, if retained on completion of the drying process originate a consequent phenomenon of micro-cracks being formed in the product, which is a cause of the product fragility.
In practice, a microcracked product is easily crumbled during the storage, packaging, and cooking steps.
Such a product type has a low commercial quality rating.